Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-11-06
THRILLING STORY.
AN AMERICAN CITIZEN ARRESBD In RUSSIA
AS NIHILIST.
A Holiday Trip IDtsTupsd-ViSiing the Russian
Salt Mins-An Inquisitys Pole Who Per-
sisted in Occupying the Same Rail
way Compartment
AlbdIlU JluEnM

RC1kShSS as IL " AAAOty w ."
of many Albauyans, and one that he would
not care to repeat. A Journal reporter
found him in his cozy office the other even
ing, and in the course of the conversation,
asked him to tell something about it.
well" said he, taken all in all it
was an exciting adventure-for US. 1t
happened in the winter of 1S79-SO, when l
was a student at Berlin. l was at the time
very intimate with VIM. F. Epson, Of
Ohio, son of a Judge of the Supreme
Court. He was a fellow-student and of q
Jolly and venturesOme disposition. / had
known him aboutsiX months. The holidays
were coming on, and to prevent time from
hanging too heavily upon u hands, we
decided to make a trip through Russia,
and visit the wonderful salt mines
throughout Polish Russia, after spending a
fortnight or so in the vicinity of St Peters
burg. The mines we more particularly
desired to explore werethOse situated near
w ielieZka, about three or four miles from
the celebrated mines Of Cracow. The IL
Elimination of these mines with cOlored
fire forms one of the greatest spectacles the
eve may ever behold. You will remember
that at that time the Government OF Rus
STA was on q very insecure foundation.
Several desperate attempts had been made
by the nihilists to overthrow the Royal
Government, and the life OF the Car was
threatened on every side. Only q few
weeks before an attempt was made to as
sassinate him by blowing up his train,
and the utmost precautions were taken for
the protection of the royal family"
"Many innocent people had been execu-
ted upon the simple suspicion Of being
Nihilists. Natives and foreigners alike
were often arrested as NihilistS or spies,
md hurried OF to Punishment IN Siberia,
without even being allowed to telegraph
to frisnds. We knew before WI started
that we were about to undertake a hazard
Gus Journey, but in order to make things
rs safe as possible, and 70 facilitate travel,
the Hon. Andrew d. White, at that time
United States Minister at Berlin, made US
special messengers to the court of Russia,
and gave us credentials TO that effect.
Armed with these formidable papers we
felt comparatively safe. It wa in the
dead Of Winter. The cold blasts which
came bowling over the immense wilderness
in the northwest were all the warning
that we needed to prepare for
our Journey. l hired! two heavy, fur
lined overcoats and caps for protection
from the biting air, which has been known
to freeze a well-protected man to death in
travelling q distance Of less than twenty
miles by sledge. We decided to go direct
to st. Petersburg, thence to Moscow, War
saw and Wieliezka. In our journey to the
Royal City We saw immense skating Kinks,
magnificent ice palaces, and tOboggan
chutes that would make Ridgefield grow
green with envy. After o journey OF two
DAYS and nights FROM St. Petersburg We
found ourselves in Warsaw. Our first
plans were to stay there over night, but
upon learning that Cracow was only q
nights Journey further or, We resolved to
20 to that city. In travelling to the salt
mines we passed from Russian Polan to
German Poland, and rs this section of the
country was much travelled over, spies and
government detectives were numerous"
1--WE had not been long in Warsaw when
a little dark-eyed Polish Jew, who had
been eying us for some time, accosted me
in German, saying he would like to show
nv friend and myself der stadt,' but we
declined his services. While in q cafe Up
son and l thoughtlessly discussed the ques-
ton of 4 republican form OF Government
in Russia The little Pole was close at
hand and was listening intently. Such a
topic was at that time q decidedly danger
Gus one TO discuss, as we soon found. We
left the cafe, went to our hotel, paid our
bill and entered an omnibus to so to the
station. OF course we thought then We
should be rid of that disagreeable little
Pole, and we were congratulating
ourselves on having seen the
last Of him, w~heu-there was a
rattle, d snake, a bang-and before we
could fairly comprehend what had hap
pened, there sat that representative of Po-
land on the seat opposite us, smiling COM
placently at himself, no doubt highly
pleased to think that he had not allowed
us to escape. This would never do. l
was getting vexed and disguised at the
fellows actions, and resolved to be rid OF
him. The station was soon reached and
we boarded the train with the Pole at our
heels. The guard at our request ushered
US into a secOnd-Class coupe, where, after
explaining to him that we desired to be en-
tirely alone and giving him an extrava-
CANT tip, we felt secure from intrusion.
The train had Just started, when in
popped that ~confounded Pole, with the
same disgusting grin on his repuGnant
countenance. Der Herr muSS mach CrdcOu
heate abend gehen,' explained the guard,
with the blandest of smiles. This was too
much. Imade up my mind not to ride in
a coach with that fellow If we had to walk;
so hastily gathering up our luggage we
started for another apartment, and found
that we could have the entire coupe to
ourselves by paying roundly for it, which
we most cheerfully did, locking the doors.
We were both tired, and as il wonld be
near morning before we should reach
Cracow, we e to sleep.
1.-The next thing l remember was that ]
was being rudy shaken, and awokt
to find that the train had
stopped. Rubbing my eyes
saw a grim-lOoking soldier standing oyel
{ me, with others at the door. | noticed
/ also that we had. stopped ut a station, but
/ not orr destination. A long row Of gems
d'armes with drawn swords were standing
in front Of the building, while a number
2 of others were scattered about near al
hand. Epson and l had to get out. So
rousing him, l dressed and was escorted
out. l was shown into u room about l.
feet square, whose sole article Of furnitur,
was a ricketty table. Well, this was mys
t~erious. What did it all mean? Why die
: the soldiers look so wonderfully wise and
D preserve such a stolid silence? Epson haC
. been rather slow in getting dressed, bu
soon made his appearance between TIVE
d soldiers with a look of unfeigued surprise
Hello, Upson," l exclaimed, with
faint attempt at jO~cularity, I'VE are pris
, oners Of war" There we stood with tn,
5 room full of soldiers, all as mute as dunn
!: mics. Presently there entered a magnifi
Gently uniformed officer, q perfect speci
men of Russian soldiery. With a bow, b
politely asked us in German for our pass
: ports. These were handed over and sen
q out to be examined. WAS dnderS habel
sie?" What else have your next in